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At 0700 the MHL buoy was showing a mix of SE and NE swell, with the later dominating. It was showing close to 2 metres at sea, but the average period was a sloppy 7 seconds or so.

It looked as though there was a small wave maybe along the southern end of the Collaroy-Narra stretch and at Manly for the early. However, wind is supposed to go NE and then southerly at 25-35 kts. At the same time, the south swell should become the more dominant factor in the mix.

The models look pretty so-so for Sydney. The southerly is set to hammer along for 24 hours or so before going more SE (bah). Might possibly be a brief window of opportunity in a south corner tomorrow, but I bet it takes some looking around.

For your convenience, here’s the marine forecast and below that, a few postcards from Cali…

Forecast issued at 4:10 am EDT on Tuesday 29 October 2013. Weather Situation A low pressure trough is expected to move across the eastern New South Wales today bringing a strong southerly change along the coast. A ridge will strengthen along the coast in a wake of the change during Wednesday to Friday. Forecast for Tuesday until midnight Gale warning for Tuesday for Sydney Coastal Waters Winds Northwest to northeasterly 15 to 25 knots tending southerly 25 to 35 knots later this morning then decreasing to 20 to 25 knots in the late evening. Seas 1 to 1.5 metres, increasing to 2.5 to 3 metres around midday. Swell Northeasterly around 1 metre, tending northeast to southeasterly 1 to 1.5 metres around midday, then tending southerly 1.5 to 2 metres by early evening. Weather The chance of thunderstorms until this evening. Wednesday 30 October Winds Southerly 15 to 25 knots turning southeasterly below 10 knots in the evening. Seas 2 to 2.5 metres, decreasing below 1.5 metres during the morning, then decreasing below 1 metre during the afternoon. Swell Southerly 1.5 metres. Thursday 31 October Winds Variable about 10 knots becoming easterly 10 to 15 knots during the afternoon then tending southeasterly during the evening. Seas Around 1 metre. Swell Southerly 1 to 1.5 metres. Please be aware Wind gusts can be 40 percent stronger than the averages given here, and maximum waves may be up to twice the height. Nearby Coastal Waters

A little front is blowing through from the NW as I write this. We’ve even had a few spots of rain (which is always welcome in perpetually dry southern California). After visiting my sick friend in hospital yesterday (she was a whole lot better thankfully), I got up this morning and made the drive north to Santa Barbara. Although everything was blown out and there was essentially no swell, I still stopped to walk on the beach at Rincon.

The cove at Rincon is quite sheltered from the NW (their equivalent of our SEr), and the summer sand was still in, so it looked like a long, sandy point instead of it’s more usual heavily cobbled self. There were only a couple of folks in on long boards and after catching the “wave” in the picture, they got out and left it to a pair of SUPsters who’d just arrived.

There seems to be a slight chance of a wave in the knee to waist range tomorrow, but the real hope is out toward the weekend when a small winter angled swell looks to be a possibility. So who knows, I might even get in the water on this trip.

Have a great Tuesday!

The first big west swell will remove this and it’ll be back to cobbles for the surf season.